


Courting No Longer

by zubeneschamali



Series: Little Lord Ackles [12]
Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: M/M, pirate!jared, virgin!Jensen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-23 18:23:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20012794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zubeneschamali/pseuds/zubeneschamali
Summary: In the aftermath of his rescue, Jared finds that things have changed between him and Jensen.





	Courting No Longer

Jared woke to find his shoulder on fire.

Not truly, of course. When he looked at it, he saw a plain white bandage wrapped around his upper arm, but it felt as though…well, as though someone had slashed through his arm. Which was near enough to the truth, he supposed. 

He raised his head and looked around. He was lying on soft, clean sheets with a light blanket up to his shoulders. He didn't have a shirt on—it had probably been too blood-soaked to save—but a quick check told him he did still have his breeches. Overhead, light white drapes that were gathered somewhere above him flowed over the four mahogany posts of the bed, stirring gently in the light breeze coming through the open window to his left. What Jared could see of the rest of the room spoke of the same elegance and riches that he had seen in Jensen's room and the rest of his father's mansion, and he relaxed a fraction. 

The warm glow lighting the room came from a lamp at the bedside table. It was dark outside, though a faint glow on the horizon suggested dawn was not far off. Jared frowned, trying to remember. Pellegrino had demanded Jensen arrive before the night watch began; surely the fight hadn't taken the whole night?

There was a snuffling sound to his right, and Jared turned, starting to raise himself on his elbow. The wound in his shoulder promptly made itself known, and he collapsed back against the pillows with a grunt. The flash of pain was worth it, though, to see Jensen sprawled in a high-backed chair beside the bed, legs spread out and head thrown back. The soft snores he emitted made a slow, fond smile spread across Jared's face. 

He couldn't turn fully towards Jensen, but he could move his head. He looked Jensen over from head to foot, taking in the plain white shirt and knee-length breeches that made him look much younger than the dashing swordsman who had saved both of them. Jared didn't see any signs of injury, but then he didn't remember Jensen suffering any during the fight. That alone would have been amazing enough, but to recall him not only matching but besting Pellegrino—it made Jared wonder what else his little lord hadn't told him about himself.

Jensen's head slowly rolled forward, until he jerked back upright. His eyes blinked open, and then they widened when they took in Jared. "You're awake!" 

Jared smiled softly. "So it would seem."

Jensen leaned forward, forearms on his thighs, looking intently at Jared. "How do you feel?"

"Like I was nearly run through with a sword."

Jensen winced. "Doc Williams says you'll be fine. We'll need to keep checking it for infection, but the cut itself wasn't bad."

"So you're to be my nurse?" Jared asked playfully.

Even in the dim lamplight, he could see Jensen's cheeks go pink. "The condition of my staying here was that I report immediately if you were to show any ill effects, so yes, I suppose so."

"Well, then." Jared lifted the covers with his good arm. "I think you could ascertain my condition much more easily were you not so far away."

Jensen frowned at him. "Clearly, you're not feeling very many ill effects at all."

"Not so many," Jared agreed. "And I believe you could forestall those that remain."

"I don't wish to disturb your arm," Jensen protested. "Or you. You need your rest."

"You clearly do as well," Jared retorted. "And there is plenty of room in this bed. You can even lie on top of the sheet if you wish to protect my honor."

Jensen rolled his eyes, but he did rise from the chair and carefully climb over Jared. To Jared's dismay, he stayed atop the sheets, but soon he was reclining on Jared's left side, head propped on his hand and elbow sinking into the pillows. "Is this better, my captain?"

"So very much," Jared replied, rolling to his left and continuing to roll until he was pressing his lips to Jensen's, their bodies full length beside each other with only the sheet and their clothing between them.

Jensen met him eagerly, cradling the back of Jared's head in his hand as his mouth moved against Jared's. He leaned forward, keeping Jared from rising off the pillows while letting him kiss and nip and kiss some more until eventually Jared had to pull back to draw air.

He slid his arm around Jensen's back and pulled until Jensen was half sprawled on top of him, head resting on Jared's good shoulder and hand splayed across Jared's chest. The warmth of Jensen's body felt good with the light breeze coming through the window, and Jared let himself relax fully, eyes closing. 

Jensen was lightly stroking Jared's bare chest, fingers tracing no discernible pattern, merely moving back and forth as if to assure himself that Jared was there. Moving carefully so as not to jar his wound, Jared brought up his right hand and laced his fingers through Jensen's, stilling their movement. 

Jensen turned his head and pressed a kiss to Jared's skin before settling back against his shoulder. "What's the last that you remember?" he asked quietly.

Jared frowned, trying to remember. "Your mother. I—I think heard her shriek."

"Yes, well, you did collapse into a pile at her feet." Jensen squeezed his hand. "You seemed to think it was necessary to attempt a formal bow while you were already dizzy from loss of blood."

"I was meeting her for the first time," Jared protested. "After having already missed our dinner engagement."

"Your bloodied sleeve would have been enough of an excuse," Jensen replied. "It was no easy matter to lug you in here."

There was something off about his voice, and Jared nudged at Jensen's chin until he lifted his head. Jared could see the shadow of fear in Jensen's eyes, and he kissed him long and slow, trying to drive away that fear and replace it with something much more pleasant. 

At first, Jensen didn't move, but then Jared felt his lips moving against his, and the bedclothes rustled as Jensen leaned closer. When Jensen broke the kiss, there was a small smile playing around his lips, wet and plump as they were. "You're trying to distract me."

"Is it working?" Jared asked, tilting his head up for another kiss.

"Maybe," Jensen murmured against his mouth before lightly running his tongue along the seam of Jared's lips.

Jared groaned, his hips shifting restlessly beneath the sheet. "Be careful, my little lord," he murmured. "I’m not certain I can finish what you're starting."

Jensen broke away with some reluctance. "I will try again when you're better rested."

"I'll remember that," Jared said with a sly grin. 

"See that you do," Jensen replied, laying his head down again.

Jared ran his fingers down Jensen's arm, waiting till Jensen grew still and until his own heartbeat had calmed from their kisses. Then he drew in a deep breath. "I need to apologize to you, Jensen."

"What?" Jensen started to lift his head, brow already furrowing.

Jared gently held him in place, hand stroking through Jensen's short hair. "I was distracted," he said. "On the docks with Aldis and Beth. I—I was thinking of what had just transpired with your father, and what it might mean, and what it would be like to meet your family. I wasn't paying attention to possible danger like I should have been." 

"You can't be alert every moment of the day," Jensen replied.

"I should have been, knowing that he was still out there," Jared said. "If I am to protect you, as we are courting or as….as later, I cannot be so lax in my duties."

At that, Jensen did raise his head, shrugging off Jared's hand. "Who says you are the one to protect me?" he asked with a glare. "Because you are older? Because you are bigger?"

"Because I have been on my own for years," Jared replied. "Because I am the captain of my ship, and I have been responsible for people's _lives_. Because you are…" He trailed off, taking in the bright gleam of Jensen's eyes and the hard set of his jaw, and he rethought his words. "Because you are very good with a sword. But that is one thing, Jensen. One piece of something much more complicated." 

"You think I have not already protected you?" Jensen asked in a low voice. "In this very house?"

Jared sighed, thinking of the times Jensen had kept their meetings secret, not to mention the trust he had shown in letting Jared through the secret passage beneath the mansion. "I know you have," he replied. "And I am grateful for that."

"I have always felt safe with you," Jensen continued. "From the very start, when you rescued me on the docks. I should have been frightened—you were bigger than the ruffians who had harassed me. You chased them off, for God's sake. But—I felt like I had nothing to fear." His voice lowered, as did his gaze. "I only wish you felt the same with me."

"Jensen." Jared drew his head back, feeling stung. "I—of course I feel safe with you."

"Only because you don't fear me," Jensen replied. "Not because you think I can protect you from others."

Jared went quiet, studying Jensen's face and thinking about his words. He looked young in the lamplight, face free of lines and spotted with freckles like a child's. But he had stood up that very day to a man who had made more than one pirate fearful of encountering him at all, much less at the point of a sword. And he hadn't flinched once. 

"How is it that you're so good with a blade?" Jared asked. "Do you sneak down to the docks at night and practice with the sailors passing through?"

"I had a good instructor," Jensen replied. "A man from the peninsula who taught me the proper forms and stances. My mother insisted I take dance lessons as well, and my instructor incorporated that in what he was doing. But he left before I could practice much, and none of my father's guard would train with me for fear of harming the governor's son." Jensen rolled his eyes. "So I learned to fence with my shadow."

Jared furrowed his brow. "How?"

"Watching my shadow taught me how to see in someone's body where and how they are going to move next," Jensen replied. "I might not be very strong, but I know how to anticipate an opponent's moves."

"It certainly worked," Jared replied. "You were magnificent."

Jensen ducked his head. "I should have been quicker."

"And I shouldn't have been captured at all," Jared replied. He brushed a kiss over Jensen's forehead. "But now I know that if it happens again, I have you to save me."

"Damn right you do," Jensen muttered, curling up against Jared's side.

Jared broke out in a laugh that had Jensen quickly shushing him. He smiled and fell silent, stroking Jensen's arm once more. "There is one more apology I think I should make."

"Now what?" Jensen grumbled.

"On the ship. I—" Jared broke off and sighed. "I think my pride was wounded along with my shoulder. The thing is, I _did_ trust you to protect the both of us, Jensen. There was no doubt in my mind that you would defeat Pellegrino. But then I suppose…perhaps I felt the sting of not being able to best him myself. I was…abrupt with you when I should have been grateful."

"You do have a prideful streak at times," Jensen replied. He ran a finger down the line of sparse hair on Jared's chest. "But I took no offense. I was so glad to see you—well, not unharmed, but at least not badly harmed."

"I know that feeling," Jared replied in a low tone, and Jensen leaned up to give him a quick kiss.

When he broke away, Jensen had a determined look on his face. "There's one more thing you should know," he said, splaying his hand over Jared's chest. "I was already thinking of this before today, but now I am certain about it."

Jared curled his arm around Jensen's back, keeping him close to his side. "What is it?"

Jensen briefly pressed his lips together before saying, "I wanted to let you know that you don’t need to court me anymore."

Frowning, Jared protested, "But I haven't even started. Dinner with your family was to be the first event."

"I know."

"Then what…?" Jared's frown deepened as his mind started to race. 

"Shhh, no." Jensen leaned forward and kissed his forehead, right where his brow tended to crinkle. "Don't be silly, Jared. It's not because I don't want you. It's because I _do_. Because there's no need to go through the formalities when I already know I want to marry you."

Jared blinked. "You what?" he asked faintly.

The gentle smile blossoming over Jensen's face was one of the most beautiful sights Jared had ever seen. "There's no need to court me, Jared. As long as you—if you are willing to marry me."

"Of course I am—I—I didn't—" Jared frowned. "Jensen, I can't offer you any of this," he said, waving one hand to indicate the finery of the room around them. "I can provide a home and a very modest income, but that is all. And that is assuming the sugar cane grows as well as I think it will, and that a storm doesn't fell it all, and—"

Jensen's two fingers across his lips stopped him. "That doesn't matter," he said softly. "You know I am stronger than I look. You know I'll do anything to be with you." He waited until Jared nodded, and then, nervousness flashing across his face, added, "And you must know that I love you."

Jared's breath caught. "You do?"

Jensen's answering smile was faint. "I already told my family as such, after Aldis appeared at our door and told us what had happened to you. It seems only fair that I should tell you so as well."

"Jensen, I…" Jared stared at him. Then he gave a half laugh and shook his head. "May you never cease to surprise me," he said quietly.

"What the devil does that mean?" Jensen demanded.

For answer, Jared threaded his fingers through Jensen's hair before pulling his mouth down to his. He kissed his answer into Jensen's mouth, running the tip of his tongue along the bow of Jensen's lips, pulling the fuller lower lip between his teeth and relishing the shudder Jensen gave against him. "Yes," he whispered between kisses. "Yes, yes, yes."

Jensen slowly started to kiss back harder, as if Jared's single, repeated word was sinking in. He made a surprised noise, and then his tongue was plunging into Jared's mouth as the noise deepened into a moan. 

Jared cupped Jensen's jaw in his hand and gently pushed him back, feeling his own heart beating wildly in his chest. "Easy," he murmured. "I have no desire to shock anyone in your household who might come wandering in."

"But you mean it?" Jensen asked, his eyes searching Jared's.

"Of course." He watched as the corners of Jensen's eyes crinkled with his smile. "I would gladly be yours, my little lord."

Jensen rolled his eyes, but the happiness didn't leave his face. "You need to decide on a new name for me."

"I rather like it," Jared returned, dropping a kiss on his lips. He waited a beat and then added, "Of course, I think 'husband' has a nice ring to it as well."

Jensen's eyes gleamed. "Very much so," he said. 

He moved in for another kiss, but Jared's jaw was opening wide on a yawn. "Sorry," Jared said when he could speak again. "Believe me, that was not from boredom at the thought of marrying you."

"I should hope not," Jensen replied in mock indignation. He patted Jared's chest before laying his head down on Jared's good shoulder. "A poor nurse I'm being if I don't let you get your rest."

"I trust you to take care of me," Jared replied, curling his arm around Jensen's back and closing his eyes. 

"Always," Jensen murmured.

The warm weight of Jensen at his side lured Jared to the edge of sleep, and when he did tip over the edge, it was to happy dreams of their future.


End file.
